Poll Shows Slim Majority Favor Governor’s Tax Hike

SANTA CLARA, CA - OCTOBER 19: California governor Jerry Brown looks on during a ribbon cutting ceremony to open the new Dell research and development facility on October 19, 2011 in Santa Clara, California. California governor Jerry Brown and Dell Chairman and CEO Michael Dell attended a ribbon cutting to open the new Dell research and development facility that was followed by a career fair to hire hundreds of employees for the new facilty. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

File (Credit: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Gov. Jerry Brown says he is confident voters will approve his November tax initiative as a way to avoid further cuts to public schools, even though a new poll shows it has only a narrow margin of support.

A Public Policy Institute of California survey released Wednesday found that Brown’s tax hike is supported by 54 percent of likely voters, with 39 percent opposed. Poll director Mark Baldassare says that’s a relatively low mark for an initiative this far before an election.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Brown said the initiative will do better once voters understand that rejecting it will lead to further education cuts. He predicted both sides would wage “a very competitive campaign.”